Creel



May 23, 1967 Filed Jan. 18, 1966 mam 665535632) 7 000 QQQQ [OOOOOOOOOO OOOOCJOOOOO OOOOOOOOOO Looooooooqg M. M. BRYAN, JR

CREEL 6 SheetsSheet 1 INVENTOR MORRIS M. BRYAN JR ATTORNEY May 23, 196"] M. M. BRYAN, m

CREEL 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR a BI Filed Jan. 18, 1966 ATTORNEY May 23, 1967: M. M. BRYAN, JR

CREEL 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 18, 1966 May 23, 1967 BRYAN, JR 3,321,153

CREEL 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 18, 1966 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Sheets-Sheet 5 M. M. BRYAN, JR

CREEL May 23, 196? Filed Jan. 18, 1966 MORRIS M BRYAN,JR.

w'ru4/ iL y 23, 1957 M. M. BRYAN, m 3,321,153

CREEL Filed Jan. 18, 1966 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR MQRRIS M BRYAN JR United States Patent 0 3,321,153 CREEL Morris M. Bryan, Jr., Jelferson, Ga., assignor to The Jefferson Mills, Inc., Jefferson, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Filed Jan. 18, 1966, Ser. No. 521,369 8 Claims. (Cl. 242-131) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE package and then guided to the stationary frame.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming a loom beam. More particularly. the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for continuously withdrawing a plurality of yarns from the individual packages mounted within a creel, arranging the yarns in parallel side-by-side relationship, applying a sizing material to. the yarn, drying the yarns, and winding the yarns directly onto a large spool to form a loom beam.

Heretofore, loom beams have generally been formed in a series of repetitious steps. A relatively small number of yarns were withdrawn and parallelized from individual yarn packages mounted within a small creel. After parallelization, the yarns were wound upon an intermediate spool to form a section beam. The yarns form several of these section beams were then combined into a single sheet of warp yarns and sized. Subsequent to the sizing operation the yarns were wound upon a large spool to form the loom beam.

While the formation of the intermediate section beams appears to be an undesirable and ineflicient middle step in the formation of loom beams it has previously been necessary in order to keep the size of the creel down to a practical limit wherein it may be easily and efiiciently loaded and threaded with the individual yarn packages. Additionally, a somewhat complicated apparatus to combine the yarns from the section beams was required.

It should be understood that a loom beam of the type under discussion will generally contain 2400 to 3200 warp yarns while the section beams may range from about 400 to 700 warp yarns. at all-inclusive but will serve to point out the relative sizes These figures are not intendedto be of the beams and indicate the increased problems which may be expected in forming loom beams as opposed to section beams.

The present inveniton provides a method and apparatus whereby a loom beam may be formed directly as the yarns are withdrawn from their individual packages thereby dispensing with the necessity of forming intermediate section beams. Generally, this is accomplished by providing a novel creel in combination with a sizing apparatus and novel drying apparatus in forming the loom beams. The creel is capable of great versatility being easily and eificiently loaded with individual yarn packages as well as readily varied in size depending upon the number of yarns desired in the ultimate loom beam. Upon being withdrawn from the creel, the individual yarn ends are parallelized and formed into a warp sheet which is passed through a sizing bath. Upon being thoroughly wetted with the sizing material the warp sheet is conducted through a novel combination heated chamberheated drum drying mechanism whereafter it may be wound directly onto a large spool to form the loom beam.

The various features and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent irom the following description and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the complete system of the present invention for forming loom beams;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of one embodiment of section of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a partial front elevational view of the creel as seen along line 44 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a creel truck which forms a portion of the creel of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a creel truck taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 5

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view showing the yarn guide-bar that is used on the creel truck;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view showing the yarn guide-bar used on the stationary creel frame of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the drying mechanism;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of one of the drying drums in the drying mechanism.

Referring first to FIG. 1, the overall system of the present invention is illustrated wherein a large number of warp yarns lll (Le. 2400) are continuously withdrawn from creel 10. This creel will be described later in further detail. The warp yarns 111 are passed through a tensioning device 112 and comb 13, both of which are well known in the art, whereupon the warp yarns are parallelized and placed under substantially constant tension.

From the tensioner and comb the parallelized warp warns are led into a sizing applicator 14 wherein they are initially formed into a warp sheet by a first roll pair 15. The sizing material is applied to the sheet of warp yarns while in the applicator using emersion or spray techniques. Any excess sizing material is removed from the warp sheet as it passes between a pair of squeeze rolls 16 on leaving the sizing applicator.

Since the sizing material oftentimes contains volatile solvents or dispersing materials it may be advantageous to provide a hood 17 above the sizing applicator to withdraw any vapors, and reclaim the material by conventional condensation techniques.

After the sizing material has been applied, the solvents must be removed by conducting the Warp sheet through a drying mechanism 18. This mechanism provides a first drying path wherein the sheet is subjected to heated air currents within a series of interconnected chambers. Thereafter, the warp sheet is led in a tortuous path around a series of heated drums. The particular construction of the drying mechanism will be descriped in greater detail later.

Air may be circulated through the drying mechanism by providing an exhaust fan for withdrawing the solvent loaded air and circulating it to a condensation recovery system. The hood 17 over the sizing applicator may also be efficiently tied-in with this system.

The fully dried warp sheet is immediately led to a conventional winding mechanism 19 on leaving the drying mechanism. At the winding mechanism the warp sheet is wound onto a large spool 19 to form the loom beam.

The novel creel of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, comprises a stationary frame 2% into which a plurality of creel trucks 30 may be assembled. The stationary frame is divided into a series of longitudinally arranged compartments 21, two series of such longitudinally arranged compartments being illustrated in FIG. 3. Each of the compartments 21 is of such a size as to be able to receive a single creel truck. To aid in receiving the creel trucks in the compartments the frame 20 has a set of guide tracks 22 associatedwith each longitudinal series of compartments. These tracks are fixedly secured to the same substrate to which the frame is secured.

Each compartment of the stationary frame has a pair of .guide frames 23 positioned on opposite sides of its forward or front portion. As shown in detail in FIG. 4, the guide frames comprise vertical supports 24 between which a series of vertically spaced horizontal guide bars 25 are secured. The spacing of these guide bars generally corresponds to the spacing of similar guide bars on the creel trucks which will be apparent from the following description.

As an alternative to the above described construction the guide bars 25 may be merely cantilevered from a single vertical support 24 rather than secured between a pair of such supports. This alternative embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 7.

The construction of the guide bars 25 is the same regardless of which means of support is employed. As shown in FIG. 7, a series of guide hooks 26 extend from the upper side of the bar. It is intended that one guide hook be provided for each warp yarn passing over the guide bar. A smooth rod 27 is mounted adjacent the base of the .guide hooks over which the warp yarns may slide without snagging or breaking.

The guide bars 25 of each compartment progressively increase in length and number of guide hooks from the rear to the front of the creel since an additional group of warp yarns are picked up from the creel trucks 30 in successive compartments. This is generally illustrated on the stationary frame 20 in FIG. 3 in progressing from the left side to the right side.

It should be understood that the stationary frame may contain fewer or more compartments than illustrated and that these compartments may be employed either as a single series or as multiple series. The ultimate arrangement employed will depend upon the desired flexibility of the creel.

The creel trucks 30 are thus illustrated in FIGS. 4-6. Each of these creel trucks is capable of supporting a predetermined number of individual yarn packages. Furthermore, each truck is constructed so as to allow the individual yarn ends to be withdrawn from the packages and led in an orderly arrangement to the guide frames 23 of the compartment in which the creel truck is positioned.

Each creel truck comprises a base frame 31 which is mounted on a plurality of wheels 32 for movement. Extending from the underside of the base frame are a pair of projecting guide members 33. These guide members engage the sides of the tracks 22 whereby the creel trucks may be guided into and positioned withinthe compartments 21 of the stationary frame. The construction of the guide members 33 may vary from rigid lugs to rotatable casters depending upon the desired refinement of the truck construction.

Mounted longitudinally and centrally of the base frame 31 is a vertical framework having a series of vertical supporting strips 34. Projecting from the opposite faces of each support strip.,and in a symmetrical manner are a series of vertically spaced spindles 35 upon which individual yarn packages 36 may be mounted. As shown in FIG. 4 the spindles 35 are angled slightly upward so as to prevent the yarn package 36 from slipping off the end as the yarn is withdrawn from the package.

On the opposite lateral sides of the creel truck there are a series of vertical guide strips 37 which are positioned in line with the spindle support strips 34. These guide strips are pivotally mounted at their upper ends on horizontal support 38 and at their lower end on the base frame 31. The pivotal mounting allows the guide strips to be pivoted outward so that individual yarn pack= ages 36 may be mounted on the spindles 35. Each of the vertical guide strips 37 has a plurality of guide holes 39 which correspond in number and position with the spindles 35. ends are withdrawn from the individual yarn packages.

On the front of each creel truck at opposite sides are two guide racks. Each guide rack comprises a pair of vertical supporting rods 40 and 41 between which a series of vertically spaced horizontal guide bars 42 are adjustably secured. There is provided one guide bar for each horizontal row of spindles 35. These guide bars are of similar construction to the guide bars 25 previously described. Shown in detail in FIG. 8, they have a plurality of guide hooks 43 extending from the upper surface. One guide hook is provided for each spindle in the horizontal row. Again, a smooth horizontal bar 44 is provided near the base of the guide hooks 43 to prevent the yarns from snagging and breaking on the surface of the guide bar 42.

While there are two hundred spindles per creel truck as shown in the drawings it should be understood that this number may vary and furthermore that all the spindles on each truck need not necessarily have yarn packages mounted thereon to enable the truck to be used in frame 20.

In setting up a creel truck, the guide strips 37 are first pivoted outward to allow the individual yarn packages 36 to be placed on the spindles 6 5. After mounting the yarn packages the guide strips are pivoted back to their normal positions and the individual yarn ends are led through the guide holes 39. The yarn ends from the individual packages within each horizontal row are then led separately through the guide hooks 43 of-the corresponding guide bar mounted on the front of each truck. When all of the desired yarn packages have been mounted and the yarn ends threaded through their corresponding guide means the creel truck is ready to be positioned within one of the compartments 21 of the stationary frame 20.

While the creel truck is being moved into position Within the stationary frame 20 it is desirable to releasably secure the threaded yarn ends in position to prevent the necessity of rethreading any yarns which become pulled out during transit. Satisfactory results have been obtained by placing a strip of wire cloth adjacent each guide bar 42. Once the yarns have been threaded through the guide hooks 43 they may be held in place by merely pushing the yarn ends down onto the wire cloth. Of course, other suitable means for accomplishing the same results may also be used and will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The individual creel trucks 30 are then rolled into position within the stationary frame 20 While being conven-' iently guided by tracks 22. Since several longitudinally aligned creel trucks are positioned within the stationary frame at the same time it may be desirable to provide the trucks with a coupling means (not shown). A variety of such coupling means are well known in the art and therefore description becomes unnecessary. As a result, a plurality of the creel I trucks may be conveniently coupled together and rolled into position as a group within the stationary frame.

Once the individual creel trucks are assembled within the compartments of the stationary frame the yarn ends from each creel truck are threaded through the hooks 26 on the corresponding guide bars 25 of the stationary frame. The yarn ends of the creel trucks located behind the lead tILtClk are led through successive guide bars 25 until they reach the front of the creel. This is more easily understood by reference to FIG. 3 wherein the guide bars are shown to increase in length from left to right as addi- It is through these guide holes that the yarn' tional warp yarns are picked up from successive creel trucks.

The creel described above is capable of easy loading and threading to provide sufiicient warp yarns for forming loom beams of various sizes without the necessity of forming intermediate section beams.

From the front of the creel all the yarns from the individual packages mounted on the creel trucks are led in orderly fashion to the tensioner and comb for subsequent formation into a warp sheet.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the warp sheet is passed through a conventional sizing applicator. The sizing pro- .vides a temporary protective coating for the yarns while they are processed into a woven fabric. Thereafter, the sizing is removed from the yarns, usually by washing in water.

Various types of sizings may be employed depending upon the particular yarn. Natural or chemically modified starches in conjunction with lubricants are used on cotton and rayon; gelatin is applied to wool, rayon and acetate yarns. Water soluble polyacrylic acid, polyvinyl alcohol and copolymers of styrene and maleic acid are applied to nylon, acetate and other synthetics.

After the sizing material has been applied to the warp yarns the sheet is dried as it is conducted through a drying mechanism 18. This drying mechanism is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 9 and 10. The warp sheet, identified by numeral 50, is conducted through the drying mechanism in the direction indicated by the arrows.

The drying mechanism 18 comprises a first elongated, up-right chamber 60 which communicates at its upper end with a horizontal duct 65. This horizontal duct, in turn, communicates with the upper end of a second upright chamber 61 which is somewhat shorter in length than the first up-right chamber. Surrounding both the first and the second upright chambers 60 and 61 are continuous thicknesses of insulation 63. Mounted within the insulation and adjacent the side walls of these chambers are a plurality of individual heaters 62 of a conventional type.

Thus, it should be apparent that the air within chambers 60 and 61 will become heated and tend to rise there by indirectly heating the duct 65. Fresh air gains admittance to the chambers through the openings in the bottom.

The wet warp sheet 50 is guided through these heating chambers by a series of rolls. As the heated air within the chambers becomes saturated during the drying process it is withdrawn through the top of horizontal duct 65 by means of an exhaust fan (not shown). As indicated previously an exhaust hood for the sizing applicator may be tied in to this horizontal duct.

Rapid drying of the warp sheet is obtained due to the continuous circulation of heated dry air through the chambers 60 and 61 and into duct 65 by way of the exhaust fan. However, due to the speed at which the warp sheet travels through these drying chambers complete drying may not always be obtained. Therefore, as the warp sheet 50 emerges from the heating chamber 6l1 it is led in a tortuous path around a series of heated drums 70, all of which are of similar construction. As is evident from FIG. 9, the tortuous path of the warp sheet allows more contact time between the sheet and the drum surface. Upon leaving the final heating drum the warp sheet is completely dry and ready to be wound upon the spool 19' to form the loom beam.

Each drying drum 70 comprises a cylindrical shell 71 having opposite spoke type end plates 72 and 73 to which are secured corresponding hollow axle stubs 74 and 75. These axle stubs are mounted for rotation in stationary supports 76 and 77 by means of bearings 78 and 79. The stationary supports may be suitably mounted on the drying mechanism framework.

A plurality of stationary gas heaters 80 are positioned within the drying drum 66 to heat the cylindrical shell as the drum rotates. These heaters are adjustably mounted in spaced-apart in-line relationship on the shaft 81. The ends of shaft 81 extend through the hollow centers of the axle stubs 7d and 7 5 and are fixedly secured in stationary arms 82 and 83. These arms may be conveniently clamped to the drum supports 76 and 77. Shaft 81 does not rotate with the drying drum but may be provided with a capability of being rotatably adjusted.

As illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 the individual heaters are of the gas type although it should be understood that other types may also be employed. With the gas type heater, a supply of gas may be delivered by pipe 84 to the vicinity of one of the axle stubs of the drying drum 70. Individual gas conduits 85 connect each heater 80 with the supply 84. These conduits are positioned adjacent the shaft 81 and pass through the hollow center of the corresponding axle stub.

The line of individual heaters are positioned within each drying drum 70 in such a manner as to heat that portion of the rotating cylindrical shell immediately before the warp sheet 50 contacts the shell. This is best illustrated with the three drying drums in FIG. 9. In this manner very ltttle heat is lost from the drum prior to contacting the war sheet and efficient drying is obtained.

The temperatures employed within the drying mechanism may vary as the warp sheet passes therethrough, but at no time should it be so high as to cause possible scorching or damage to the warp yarns. This temperature may also vary according to the particular type of yarn being dried some being capable of withstanding higher temperatures than others. Adequate control of the temperatures may be obtained through the use of suitable thermostats.

Thus, having described the present invention, it should be apparent that loom beams of a variety of sizes may be formed directly from yarns as they are withdrawn from individual packages without the necessary intermediate steps required by the prior art. For those skilled in the art, certain variations and modifications may become apparent without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, it is intended that the present invention be limited only as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A creel for supplying a plurality of Warp yarns comprising, in combination;

(A) a stationary frame having one end from which a plurality of warp yarns are withdrawn, said frame having a plurality of stationary yarns guides for assisting the withdrawal of said warp yarns,

(B) a plurality of movable creel trucks associated with said stationary frame, each of said creel trucks comprising;

(l) a base mounted on a plurality of wheels,

(2) at least one support extending upward from said base and having a plurality of spindles for mounting individual yarn packages,

(3) a first set of yarn guides arranged axially outward from said spindles for initially receving and guiding said warp yarns axially outward from said yarn packages, and

(4) a second set of yarn guides fixedly positioned on one end of said creel truck for receiving and guiding said warp yarns from said first set of yarn guides,

(C) and means for positioning said creel trucks within said stationary frame whereby said warp yarns may be led from said second set of yarn guides to said stationary yarn guides.

2. A creel according to claim 1 wherein said stationary frame comprises at least one series of longitudinally aligned compartments and a stationary yarn guide is mounted adjacent each compartment.

3. A creel according to claim 2 wherein each stationary yarn guide comprises a longitudinal bar having a plurality of aligned guide hooks extending outward therefrom and means to prevent snagging of said warp yarns as they pass through said guide hooks.

4. A creel according to claim 3 wherein the stationary yarn guides progressively increase in number of guide hooks from compartment to compartment with the yarn guide nearest the said one end from which the plurality of warp yarns are withdrawn from the creel being provided with the greatest number of guide hooks.

5. A creel according to claim 1 wherein said first set of yarn guides forming a part of each c'reel truck comprises at least one guide strip extending upward from said base, said guide strip having a plurality of apertures positioned to correspond with said spindles for receving therethrough said warp yarns from said yarn packages mounted on said spindles.

6. A creel according to claim 5 wherein said spindles are arranged on opposite sides of said support and aligned in upwardly extending rows, each row being provided with a corresponding guide strip, each guide strip being pivotally mounted whereby it may be pivoted away from said spindles to permit replacement of said yarn packages.

7. A creel according to claim 6 wherein said spindles are also arranged in substantial horizontal aligned rows and said second set of yarn guides comprises a series of guide bars, each guide bar corresponding to one of said horizontally aligned rows and having a plurality of upwardly extending guide hooks.

8. A creel according to claim 7 wherein said guide bars are provided with means for temporarily securing the yarn ends of said warp yarns after they have been threaded through said first and second sets of yarn guides.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,527,700 10/1950 Bryant 242-131.l 2,575,348 11/1951 Lambach 242-131 LEONARD D. CHRISTIAN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CREEL FOR SUPPLYING A PLURALITY OF WARP YARNS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION; (A) A STATIONARY FRAME HAVING ONE END FROM WHICH A PLURALITY OF WARP YARNS ARE WITHDRAWN, SAID FRAME HAVING A PLURALITY OF STATIONARY YARNS GUIDES FOR ASSISTING THE WITHDRAWAL OF SAID WARP YARNS, (B) A PLURALITY OF MOVABLE CREEL TRUCKS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID STATIONARY FRAME, EACH OF SAID CREEL TRUCKS COMPRISING; (1) A BASE MOUNTED ON A PLURALITY OF WHEELS, (2) AT LEAST ONE SUPPORT EXTENDING UPWARD FROM SAID BASE AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF SPINDLES FOR MOUNTING INDIVIDUAL YARN PACKAGES, (3) A FIRST SET OF YARN GUIDES ARRANGED AXIALLY OUTWARD FROM SAID SPINDLES FOR INITIALLY RECEIVING AND GUIDING SAID WRAP YARNS AXIALLY OUTWARD FROM SAID YARN PACKAGES, AND (4) A SECOND SET OF YARN GUIDES FIXEDLY POSITIONED ON ONE END OF SAID CREEL TRUCK FOR RECEIVING AND GUIDING SAID WARP YARNS FROM SAID FIRST SET OF YARN GUIDES, (C) AND MEANS FOR POSITIONING SAID CREEL TRUCKS WITHIN SAID STATIONARY FRAME WHEREBY SAID WARP YARNS MAY BE LED FROM SAID SECOND SET OF YARN GUIDES TO SAID STATIONARY YARN GUIDES. 